Connecting to your community

It was November, time sure passes quickly.Many things happen in November. We had our election on November 8,2016 and our new president elect is Trump, which was announced early in the morning on November 9, 2016. All of Hilary’s supporters were depressed after hearing that Trump won the presidency 2016.

BUT did you also know that Veteran’s day is here on November 11th, a holiday to celebrate the passing of the people who fought in World War I and those who survived. This day is the day to honor them for their hard work. This is a splendid day for us and them.

AND did you know that Thanksgiving is almost here? School is going to be closed for this day. People are excited for this day. . Pilgrims invited native Americans to eat with them because they helped the pilgrims with growing food in the right seasons.

SO, remember…November is a month to give. November is a month of service.

I had a lot of fears and doubts. When you are interacting with kids is really complex to know their reaction towards you and therefore, that makes you anxious and doubtful. I didn’t know what to expect from them, but for sure, I didn’t know what they expected from me. I must say that I was anxious because making a kid smile are goals in life. Because there are only two ways to go: kids either like you or don’t. I hoped for more time with my students to ensure if teaching is for me because I would like to become a teacher in the future. The most important part that I was hoping to encounter in that one-day journey was controlling my nervousness. I learned that there was no need to feel incapable and that going out of one’s comfort zone will make you grow as a person. Also, things such as having an accent shouldn’t deter you from pursuing your goals, rather, I should even embrace what makes me different. Consequently, I can say that it was a nice day and that I did achieve an important goal. I now know that teaching is in my blood and that with practice and more confidence I can be a great teacher. I can recommend to any student who would like to have this experience is go for it. Is not complicated as you might think, the complications are only in your head, believe me. Do it even if you don’t want to or even if you don’t want to be a teacher. It will make you a stronger and better person. I know it was only a day, but you’ll be surprised the amazing things you can learn about yourself in a couple of hours. Lastly, I just want to give thanks to Bridget because honestly without her it wouldn’t be as fun as it was and for giving me the opportunity.

On Friday, may 19th 2017 I participated in a helpful, positive, and empowering experience. I was given the opportunity to go to an elementary school to teach a kindergarten class. I had marvelous partner named Shantel and together we taught the kids lessons on saving their money, earning their money the right way, giving back, and making choices. The kids were exceptional. They understood everything my partner and I had to tell them and they even taught us a couple of things as well. I could not believe how smart and aware these little youngsters were. I shared stories with them, made jokes and we even were graced to have a class pet for the day. A dragon fly visited the classroom and stayed with us until lunch time. My partner and I allowed the kids to give it a nickname. They named it Sammy. Before we entered the school I was a tad nervous; I was not sure if the kids would like my approach, I did not know if they were going to be disrespectful, and I was afraid that I would not be able to break the ice with them. With the help of my partner and the classroom teacher I overcame these fears and executed the lesson plans. Through this experience I hoped to achieve the understanding of delegating a classroom filled with uncensored, raw, opinionated children because one day in the near future, I want to go into the paraprofessional line of work, which involves working in a classroom; I achieved my goal by doing so. You learn a lot when you get to be hands on and gain upfront experience. Working with junior achievement I learned how to speak to younger children, how to make them laugh; I learned that help is always needed and not to be afraid to ask for it. I would defiantly recommend this experience to anyone who loves working with kids, as well as future childhood education majors in college, It’s a great way to get your feet wet. If I were to give a piece of advice, it would be to execute your goals, do what makes you happy, and to take something with you from any experience you have.

Consumed by the overwhelming pressures of determining a college major as a college freshman, I was more than happy when I stumbled upon a flyer offering the opportunity of a lifetime. On May 19, 2017 I was given the privilege to partake in Junior Achievement’s “Teacher for a Day’’ program at P.S/I. S 206. I’ve always been fond of little kids, but I was not sure that I had the necessary skills to teach them. However, after some intense training sessions, all the fearful thoughts that were invading my mind vanished.

Upon my arrival, I was eager to enter the classroom to see the adorable faces of the children. They all had such a positive energy, which made me even happier and more willing to teach them. I was highly amazed by how intelligent the children were, I began reminiscing back to when I was a five-year old, I had absolutely no idea what a credit card was or how it was used. Meanwhile, these kids knew all most everything. While at the school, I was introduced to a Speech Language Pathologist, which is a career that I had interest in pursuing as well. We had a chance to discuss the aspects of the profession, which was very beneficial to me.

Overall, my experience was highly memorable and I would most definitely do this again. I gained a passion for teaching; which is highly surprising to me considering that I’m a shy individual and I didn’t think that I could stand in front of a classroom with so many eyes on me. I would recommend Junior Achievement to everyone, even if they are not interested in teaching because there is an opportunity for growth and learning for everyone. You never know what you’ll discover and plus teaching the kids was fun, they make you feel so appreciated.

Junior achievement is a great way to engage the community in the development of the next generation. I had the most wonderful experience working with the children. Even if it was just for one day, it was an uplifting one. The children were excited to see us and was delighted to spend the time with us. The teacher was great in the way she accommodated us, as she let us take control and assisted us when needed. I see that as a benefit not only for the kids but for me as well. This opportunity helped me to grow in ways that I didn’t know I can possible grow in. I think that more people should get involved in spending time with children and help them learn more important life values. It was a great experience and I would definitely do it again if given the opportunity. Thank you Junior Achievement for caring about the youth of today which is the adults of tomorrow.

What an amazing experience
To be with children with such intelligence
To be a teacher and learn diligence
To be surrounded by so much benevolence

I loved children even when I was a child myself
Feeding them bottles and patting their backs
Helping my mother change my sibling’s diaper
I loved being a big sister, I always tried by best
I was the super hero anytime my brother fell or even hit his chest

This experience is something to never forget
Embraced the challenges, the mistakes, then I finessed
This could be a future career I see very soon, under
Teaching little people, with little feet, different personalities and traits too

Let’s not forget their bright minds and their playful insight
Their “did I do this right miss, I’m a smart child”
Their overflow of confidence and their bright smiles
The leaders of the group learning that they have to compromise

I kept in mind that every child was different; some overcame battles
Some needed help to defeat them, regardless of anything
Their motivation never depleted, they knew the reason
All children are unique in their own way, that’s straight facts
Everyone serves a purpose, that’s a true thing
And I know all of these children will grow up to be something

I encourage teens like myself to join such an activity
Where you think about others, not just yourself
All the right things and smiles so bright that you remember being a child yourself
Embracing their intelligence to certain things will amaze you as it amazed me
Be a part of Junior Achievement because you are guaranteed to learn something, that’s straight facts

*Thank you for this experience! It gave me a whole new confidence in the career filed which I will like to pursue. That is to become a pediatrician and I can not wait!-Meliah McPhie

being a queen doesn’t have anything to do with your position in the society as much as it does have with the help and the services you provide to your community .

At Kingsborough Community College it is very important for the students to be active and participate in taking care of their community. Because of that, the service learning team is doing its best to find projects in different fields that might interests each student.